A pregnant mum who was planning a gender reveal party with her new husband has been found murdered, with her ex-boyfriend arrested.
Juliana Paulo Pinto, 29, was four months pregnant with her first child with husband Stéfano Moreno when she was killed.
Her charred remains were discovered in a rural area near the Monte Líbano neighbourhood on Wednesday, after she had been missing for two days.
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Police said her ex-partner, Diego Marques Alves, 31, confessed to killing her, as reported by Need To Know.
He allegedly told investigators the murder was motivated by disagreements and legal disputes between the pair.
Juliana and Diego had separated at the beginning of 2026, and she had obtained a protective order against him in May.
Diego and his current partner, Geovana Maria Vieira, 24, were arrested on 14 October on suspicion of concealing a corpse.
Geovana is suspected of helping to hide Juliana’s remains, while police are still investigating whether she was directly involved in the killing.
Investigators said the pair allegedly tried to create an alibi, with Geovana telling a friend she was suffering an anxiety attack and was at hospital on the night Juliana disappeared.
Diego also reportedly claimed he had stayed at home to look after Geovana.
The couple had also allegedly filed a police report denying involvement in Juliana’s disappearance before being called in for questioning.
Local police used the city’s electronic surveillance system to track their movements and reconstruct a route towards the area where Juliana’s remains were found.
Juliana, who lived in based in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Brazil, had been married to Stéfano for around six months, and the couple were looking forward to welcoming their first baby together.
They had been planning a gender reveal party, as they did not yet know whether they were expecting a boy or a girl.
Stéfano paid tribute to his wife, describing her as a “wonderful mother” who had “transformed me into a better man”.
Juliana was also mum to an 11-year-old boy from her previous relationship.
Her remains were due to be taken to the Institute of Legal Medicine in Vitória for further examination, with DNA testing potentially needed to formally confirm her identity.
The case is being investigated as suspected femicide and concealment of a corpse.
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